"Life Hacks" Cruise edition

Keep clothes prone to wrinkle on a wire hangar. Put half in the plastic bags that I save from when dry cleaning comes home. Stack all wire hangars on top of each other, alternating between bag and no bag...fold in 1/2 or 1/3 depending on size and lay on top of all folded clothes in the suitcase. Somehow plastic keeps the wrinkles at bay and bonus is they are quick to unpack.

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1. OVER THE DOOR SHOE ORGANIZER

2. HIGHLIGHTER

3. RETURN ADDRESS LABELS (for disembarkment tags)

4. CHEAP SHOWER CURTAIN (use on beach to keep sand off towels); then just throw away

5. CRAPPY T-SHIRTS (throw away after using on cruise; get new ones)

6. BUY SOUVENIRS ON THE LAST DAY (50% off)

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This is my “hack”. I made a multi brand medicine case from a typical pill case. It’s so easy to take several kinds of meds in one case. I take it everywhere I travel.

 

 

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That's really good idea! Loving this thread.

I bring my own 'posh' toiletries, so that I can upgrade my own experience! Something that smells of holiday (coconut etc) and a pop up laundry basket for dirty clothes.

I second the large ziplock bags thing. Love them more than packing cubes - and they are cheaper!

I pack the worn clothes back in the suitcase each night. Totally eliminates the packing rush at the end.

Since this is cruise hacks in general (though on the RCCL board), make sure to check the rules for a given cruise line before packing an over-the-door shoe holder. I've personally never seen the need (I pack light and am not a "need a ton of hair product and make-up" kind of girl so the provided storage has always been adequate) for them, BUT there are some lines - I know Disney - that have banned them because they do cause damage to the doors and door frames. If you insist on using them, string a ribbon through the holes and loop it over available hooks in the stateroom.

Since this is cruise hacks in general (though on the RCCL board), make sure to check the rules for a given cruise line before packing an over-the-door shoe holder. I've personally never seen the need (I pack light and am not a "need a ton of hair product and make-up" kind of girl so the provided storage has always been adequate) for them, BUT there are some lines - I know Disney - that have banned them because they do cause damage to the doors and door frames. If you insist on using them, string a ribbon through the holes and loop it over available hooks in the stateroom.

Yea sorry about that.. I usually ju st stick to RC because that's all I have experience with. My 2nd ever cruise coming up. Can be moved ton different section of needed!:)

Here are some other hacks.

1. Print your SetSail Pass as a PDF(instead of printing it on the printer save it as a PDF). If for some reason you can't Print It they can scan it off your cellphone.

2. Google the port you are visiting and add terms like Personal Guides, Cheap Public Transportation, 5 Star rated Yelp Restaurants(add cuisine), Walking tours etc.

3.Look up sample menus from the various specialty restaurants before you commit to see if its worth paying for.

4. Put vanilla ice cream in coffee cup and pour coffee over it for an Alfogatto Cafe. I do this with the self serve ice cream and in the MDR/Windjammer for dessert. Add toppings like crumbled ranger cookies on top.

5. Bring a power strip with USB ports for charging.

6. Bring HDMI adapter to watch movies on the TV from the laptop.

7. Go to the waiter stations just before the Windjammer is closing and ask for a bag of cookies for the room of various flavors.

8. Bring 1 Quart Ziplock bag to bring cookies from the Windjammer or bags of chips from the Park Cafe for snacks.

9. Make a poor man's Moccah ask for steamed milk from the MDR/Windjammer and add the Hot Chocolate Packets, Creamer and coffee. For a latte just add the coffee to the Steamed Milk.

10 . Bring a plastic Jellybean Candy Jar for change one for the local currency and one for United States currency etc.

11.Tell the bartender exactly how you want your drink such as 2 parts ice 2 parts vodka etc.

12. Ask for chopped up green apples and freshly cut ginger from the MDR and hot water if you are feeling the effects of sea sickness.

13. If you are feeling sea sickness go outside and look at a far away point and rub your pressure points like under your eyes, forehead, behind your ears. Wearing sunglasses may help with the sea sickness. Use the medication as last resort.

14. Bring your own coffee and espresso grounds and ask the MDR if they could filter it in a French Press etc and add it to steamed milk.

15. Instead of dealing with Guest Services to dispute a charge on the last night go over your bill nightly on the TV and call down to Guest Services to dispute certain items.

If something is not right on the last night wait until midnight or go down before 4 AM even if you go back to sleep to deal with the dispute.

16. Take a photo of your floor and the signs pointing you to where your room is. Then show any crew member how to quickly get to your floor aft vs forward. That way you do not have to walk all the way down your hall or if the hall does not go through then you will quickly be directed to the best way to get to the room.

17 .Use the Digital sign boards to see what is on the MDR menu before you go to the MDR for the meal(you can do it on your floor by the elevator) so that way you do not waste your time going down to the MDR for something you do not want to eat.

18. Bring your own Tea Bags like Starbuck's Teavana Defense Tea and put it in hot water.

19.Decorate your door so that way you will enter the right cabin late at night.

20. Bring Trail Mix from Costco in events where it will be a long time to the next meal or you just want something to nibble on.

[ATTACH]417172[/ATTACH]

This is my “hack”. I made a multi brand medicine case from a typical pill case. It’s so easy to take several kinds of meds in one case. I take it everywhere I travel.

 

 

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I do that at home, too... because otherwise people are "rifling" through the cabinet and stuff never gets back where it needs to be :D

No diving or jumping from balcony.

We always did the same with complete outfits in the large (3-gal) ziplocks which we purchased from the dollar store. When an outfit was dirty, it went back in the ziplock with a big X and was thrown into the suitcase under the bed. By the last day of the cruise, packing was a breeze and the dirty clothes didn't touch the clean clothes that weren't worn and still in the zip-locks.

I like this idea. I use the xl ziplocs but I do the idea of like putting the dirty clothes back in the bag with an X. Although, dh was pointing out that he would rather have laundry facilities so that we don't need to bring as much. I have to agree.

19.Decorate your door so that way you will enter the right cabin late at night.

I mean, if you can enter the wrong cabin late at night, there's something seriously wrong with the locks on the cabins

Here are some other hacks.

 

 

4. Put vanilla ice cream in coffee cup and pour coffee over it for an Alfogatto Cafe. I do this with the self serve ice cream and in the MDR/Windjammer for dessert. Add toppings like crumbled ranger cookies on top.

You can also fill a glass with ice cream and take it to the bar to get a real mudslide rather than the crushed ice one they'd normally make.

No diving or jumping from balcony.

OK I laughed. I'm a terrible person.

- Take one of the face towels and put it on that shelf in the shower to prevent all your travel size bottles from falling.

I mean, if you can enter the wrong cabin late at night, there's something seriously wrong with the locks on the cabins

I know in my younger days I've tried to get my key to open the wrong door on more than one occasion. I'm not saying there was alcohol involved, but... actually I guess that's exactly what I'm saying.

I know in my younger days I've tried to get my key to open the wrong door on more than one occasion. I'm not saying there was alcohol involved, but... actually I guess that's exactly what I'm saying.

Oh, trying is one thing...actually being able to get in to a room that's not yours is a different thing entirely ;)

[ATTACH]417172[/ATTACH]

This is my “hack”. I made a multi brand medicine case from a typical pill case. It’s so easy to take several kinds of meds in one case. I take it everywhere I travel.

 

 

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What a GREAT IDEA!! I like this one.

Packing cubes are great. Just search Amazon. The prices vary wildly but are worth it as they free up a lot of room. IMO vacuum bags are for long term storage, how will you use when leaving? The will have tons of things for kids. You will get 2nd cruise compass with kids stuff.

Sorry if this is a dumb question as packing cubes are a new concept to me. How is it they free up room? Isn't the amount of clothes you can fit in a suitcase the same whether they are packed all together or separately in these cubes? I see how they help organize and how they would help for putting a change of clothes in a backpack for carry on. Just curious as I am all for a packing life hack.

I think the cubes allow you to suck out the air? I have some bags that have vents in the end , they close like ziplock bags and you sit on them to squeeze the air out. I use them sometimes for DH's clothes, but ours are worn out and don't collapse as well as they did when new. Probably won't replace them, as was mentioned, they allow,you to put more in a case but they still weigh the same. If you have to do some shifting at the airport due to being over weight it would be a mess!

I can fit a good bit more in a suitcase using the packing cubes than I can without. I just have the regular cubes - not the ones that you get the air out of. If I roll the clothes, I can zipper it part way and then put a few more in and zipper the rest. Sort of like filling a suitcase to the max, then sitting on it to compress it to get it zippered! I stay away from the largest suitcase size so weight isn't usually an issue. They are also excellent for organizing, especially if you have to make any last minute changes between bags.

[ATTACH]417172[/ATTACH]

This is my “hack”. I made a multi brand medicine case from a typical pill case. It’s so easy to take several kinds of meds in one case. I take it everywhere I travel.

 

 

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I LOVE this idea. I try to pack very efficiently. I usually bring these pills but in zip lock bags. I have extra pill cases and going to do this. Its so much more efficient than having multiple bottles.

Thank you!

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As others have said, pack kids clothes in quart sized bags. Pack shorts, shirt, socks and underwear in each bag. Label with their name. When it’s time to get dressed in the morning they can pick out their own outfit and it’s all there. Makes it so much easier. We also bring about 10 clothes pins to clip the wet swim suits to the line in the bathroom or to our balcony chairs while in port to dry.

Small battery operated tea light or dim night light for the kids to go to the bathroom at night.

Pack your clothes about two weeks ahead of time. One week before the cruise, take out half of what you packed. Then 3 days before, take out half of what’s left. Then you’re ready. 3 pairs of shoes....sneaker, flip flop/ sandal, dress shoes. That’s it!

Following.

Love the medication hack too. I always have the little bottles too and that would be great to have instead.

These are all great tips! Looking forward to our first RCI Cruise in July!!

make sure you pack various types of over the counter meds for your kiddos too. Like childrens ibuprofen, children's cold medicine, children's Dramamine and pepto.

not sure how old your kiddos are but we did family time dining so we let the wait staff know we were family time dining, they had our kiddos fed in 45 min or less every night then we met Adventure Ocean staff at main dining room entrance so the adults could enjoy the rest of the dinner and go to the shows or whatever.

Bring LOTS of sunscreen and sunglasses for your kiddos. Sunburn cream too just in case.

I love packing cubes:

But I have downsized since this photo. I now use a shoe bag, a couple of the small bags (the red ones), and a couple of the thin bags (like the lime green one, but smaller). Also most of my clothes have gotten lighter and if I need to stay warmer, I just layer more efficiently.

For medicines such as Tylenol or Imodium, etc. I put them in pill bags 3"x3" or 2"x3" and put them all on a book ring. Takes up very little space easy to get to in my toiletry bag.

I take an envelope like these (because I have them, zip lock bag would work also) they are clear and you can see what is in them right away. As we get receipts, papers, the days daily schedule we pop it in there. These envelopes are sturdy so they stand up without bending. This also helps keep the counter top clear.

I also take a small collapsible basket (thirty one) that goes on the counter. pens, chapstick, sunglasses, room keys go in here. Keeps small things from getting lost and keeps counter tidy also.